Joining E2 is the most effective way to stay informed about cutting-edge environmental issues, leverage your professional network, and use your skills to influence important environmental policy issues.

At E2 Pacific Northwest, early 2012 has seen vigorous legislative efforts, continued advocacy on coal export, and an EcoSalon featuring Members of Congress and representatives of the Department of Defense on the critical importance of clean energy to the United States Armed Forces.

Oregon Legislative Initiatives In January, E2 held a Focus meeting, “Defending Clean Air & Water, Innovating for the Future,” where we discussed the need to protect crucial state agency budgets while simultaneously innovating to spur green economic growth in Oregon.

The Massachusetts’ Senate is considering an energy bill with several potential positive features: a requirement for utilities to purchase more of their renewable energy via long-term contracts; an increase in the minimum term of those contracts; a lower tax burden on solar installations; and a study of the potential benefits of a Clean Energy Performance Standard. Over 50 amendments to the bill, S. 2200, were filed and considered on the Senate floor on March 29. The bill will be up for debate again on April 5. Together with H. 1776, which expands “net-metering” programs that allow small-scale renewable energy generating facilities to receive credit for the electricity they generate, the bill has the potential to remove barriers to the expansion of the Massachusetts’ clean energy sector.

Proposals from powerful opponents that would have significantly weakened the Green Communities Act...read more >

Nancy Pfund is a Managing Partner of DBL Investors and an E2 Member. Ms. Pfund currently sponsors or sits on the board of directors of a number of private companies, including Primus Power, SolarCity, Solaria, Brightsource Energy and Pandora. Ms. Pfund also worked closely with exited portfolio company Tesla Motors.

Earlier this month, we sat down with Nancy and had a conversation covering topics ranging from the DBL investing philosophy to the current climate surrounding clean-tech start ups. Here’s what she had to say:

On “Double Bottom Line” Investing. “At DBL, we are focused on accomplishing both financial and social returns. One strategy towards these goals is the investment in and siting of business operations in locations that historically haven’t benefited from investment. This type of siting is made viable partly by securing incentive packages...read more >

E2 Members Attend ARPAE Energy Summit Last month, a delegation of E2 members traveled to Washington to attend the 2012 ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit, which convened key players from across the energy ecosystem - researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, corporate executives, and government officials - to share ideas for developing and deploying the next generation of clean energy technologies.

This year's event featured Bill Gates, Founder and Chairman of Microsoft; Fred Smith, Chairman, President and CEO of FedEx; and Lee Scott, former CEO of Wal-Mart; as well as Secretary Chu and Director Majumdar as distinguished keynote speakers

E2 was a media sponsor for this event.

Advocacy MeetingsWhile at ARPA-E, E2 also arranged for meetings with Richard Kauffman, Special Advisor to Energy Secretary Chu, and Senator Christopher...read more >

The LinkedIn group provides members with the opportunity to connect with other members across the country, and we hope that our members-only LinkedIn forum will allow you to use each other as a resource and sounding board for ideas that relate to E2’s work. ...read more >

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